Machine for creasing curtains and the like



A4 C. PROBST March 7, 1939.

MACHINE FOR CREASING CURTAINS AND THE LIKE 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l' Filed Oct.

A TTORNE March 7, 1939. A Q PRQBST MACHINE FOR.CREASING CURTAINS AND THE LIKE Filed otr. 1, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 2 /Q/frea C. /DrolJ' ATTOR EYS.

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR CREASINGCURTAIN S THE LIKE Alfred C. Probst, Erie, Pa. Application October 1, 1938, Serial` No. 232,894

8 Claims. (Cl. 27o-6l) vThis invention relates generally to folding and creasing machines and more particularly to machines for folding and creasing curtains and like fabric.

VAll devices of this vcharacter made according to the prior art, `and With which Iam familiar, have no means of creasing and folding a lace curtain or the like. To cause the lace curtain to hang in a proper manner, it is desirable to have the creases lengthwise of the curtainand heretofore `this has been done by hand. Itis not practical to add heat to curtain because sharply dened creases are not desirable. In plaiting and like machines heretofore constructed, it has been impossible to crease and fold curtains because it was impossible to take the curtain from the machine without ruining the crease. When heat was added in these machines, the appearance of the curtain with sharply defined corrugations wasv undesirable and the curtain will not hang correctly. In any machine tried, the curtain would be ruiiled and it was necessary to crease them by hand. Curtains are now folded so that they leave cross creases when unfolded therebyy requiring ironing before they are hung. In all cases, it rhas heretofore been necessary to fold and crease ,curtains lengthwise, by hand and it has required considerabletime and the work was not entirely satisfactory.

y It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a machiney for folding and creasing or corrugating curtains or like fabricy which is simple in construction, cheap in cost, simple in operation, and easy to manufacture. i

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine for lfolding and creasing curtains or the like fabricwhich permits the removal of the curtain or other fabric from the machine without destroying the crease.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine for folding andr creasing curtains and the like fabric lengthwise so that the curtains will be disposed forv hanging or packing without.

further work thereon.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine which crease and fold curtains so that they may be hung as they come from the factory, laundry, or curtain work rooms without any repressing whatsoever.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailedY description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which--v Fig. 1 is a plan view of my novel machine for folding and creasing curtains and the like.

Fig, 2 is an end view of my novel machine with the initial raised position of the foldable members shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the same line as the view in Fig. 3 showing the foldable member in initial raised position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of my novel machine showing the foldable members in a completely folded position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view as in Fig. 6 showing a curtain partially removed from the machine.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end view showing the foldable members in a completely foldable position.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the spacing means for the foldable members.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view in section of the clip for securing the curtain onto my machine, in open position and Fig. 10 shows the clip in closed position.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 show a frame I with side supports 2 having hinged foldable members 3, 4, 5, and B disposed thereon. The foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 are ynormally in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. l so that a curtain or the like can be laid out flat on the foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 so that all of the ruiiles can be removed therefrom before the curtain is folded and creased. It will be evident that any number of foldable members may be used Without diverting from the spirit of my invention. The foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 are initially raised as shown in the dotted lines of Fig.

2 by the pins 8 and cam members 9, the cam members 9 being operated by handles I0 project ing from the side of the frame I.

Fig. 3 shows the pins 8 and the cam member 9 in an inoperative position with the foldable member 5 in a horizontal position. Fig. 4 shows the same member 5 in a raised position after the pins 8 have been raised by movement of the cam member 9 through manual operation of the handle I8. The foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 successively increase in height in a direction opposite to the direction of fold. The pins 8 are off-set in the direction of fold in order that they will be directly under the peaks of the foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 when they reach an initially raised position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will evident that the total length of the hingedly connected foldable members 3, Il, 5 and 6 is less in a raised position than in a horizontal position thereby requiring an offset of the pins 8. Springs I I are connected to cam members 9 and to a cross-arm I2 of the frame I in order that the cam members 9 may be returned to an inoperative position when the lock members I3 are released from the notches I 4 in the cam member 9.

A shaft I5 having pulleys I6 and a crank handie I1 mounted thereon is supported on the frame I and connects .the furthermost foldablemember 6 by suitable cable or the like I8. Upon rotation of the crank handle I1, the cable I8 will be wound y like fabric.

on the pulleys I6 and the fo1dab1e members s, 4, 5, and 6 will be brought to a folded position as shown in Fig. 7, the foldable member 6 coming to a folded position first and the foldable members 5, 4, and 3 in the order named coming to a folded position. By this method of folding, the curtain or other fabric will not become ruled and perfect creases and folds will result. The shaft I5 with the pulleys I6 and the crank handle I'I may be disposed on the opposite end of the machine :and produce the same results where it is desired to remove the curtain or like fabric from the front end of the machine. I have shown a spring 56 in Fig. '7 for retarding the free movement of the pulleys I6 although it will be evident that any means may be utilized to prevent free rotation of the pulleys I6. Recesses I9 are disposed on each end of the foldable members 3, 4i, 5, and 6 in order that a folded curtain or like fabric may be grasped by the hand and removed from the machine. A curtain 1 partially removed from the machine is shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows the foldable members 26 in folded position provided with spacing means 2I. It will be evident that any form of spacing means may be pro-vided.

Figs. 9 and 10 show a clamp 22 for securing a curtain or like fabric onto the foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 without damaging the curtain or The clamp 22 comprises a pivoted member 23 having a leaf spring 2A extending through an aperture 25. When in the position shown in Fig. 9, the spring 24 holds the pivoted member 23 against the fabric in the machine.

In operation, a curtain or the like fabric is l' placed on the foldable members 3, a, 5, and 6 when they are in horizontal position as shown in Fig. l. The curtain or like fabric is then clamped in position by the clamps 22. Each member 3, 4, 5, and 6 is then initially raised independently by the cam members Si and pins 6 to a position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2. It has been found preferable to raise the foldable members 3, II, 5, and 6 in accordance with their respective heights, with the lowest initially raised foldable member 3 being raised first and then 0l, 5, and 6 in the order named. It has been found that with no initial raising of the foldable members 3, II, 5, and 6, the curtain or other fabric to be folded and creased will not fold uniformly and many cross creases will be formed. This was likewise true when all of the foldable members 3, il, 5, and 6 were initially raised the same height. It will be apparent that when the foldable members 3, 5, and 6 are initially raised to successively increasing heights in a direction opposite to the direction of fold, the furthermost foldable member 6 will come to a completely folded position first with members 5, .4, and 3 following in the order named. It will be evident that if all of the foldable members 3,4, 5, and 6 came to a folded position at the same time, the curtain or fabric to be folded would become ruffled.

After the initial raising of the foldable members 3, 4, 5, and 6 to a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the crank handle Il is rotated and the foldable members 3, I, E, and 6 are brought to a folded position as shown in Fig. 7 through the cable i8. The curtain or fabric is then removed as shown in Fig. 6. The curtain will be creased in a lengthwise direction and may be immediately hung or it may be packed in boxes in such a manner that they may be taken from the boxes and hung without the necessity of ironing them.

It will be apparent that I have provided a ms chine for creasing and folding curtains or other fabric lengthwise so that they may be packed or hung as they come from the factory, laundry, or curtain rooms.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention, or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for folding and creasing fabric, in combination, interconnected foldable members, means for disposing a fabric on said foldable members, means for raising each foldable member initially to a partially folded position, and means for disposing said foldable members in a folded position whereby said fabric may be removed from said foldable members in a folded position.

2. In a machine for folding and creasing fabe ric, in combination, foldable members, means for disposing fabric on said foldable members, means for raising each foldable member independently to a partially folded position, and means for folding said members whereby said fabric may be removed from said foldable members in a folded position.

3. In a machine for folding and creasing fabric, in combination, interconnected foldable members, means for initially raising said foldable members to positions progressively increasing in height in a direction opposite to the direction of fold, means for disposing a fabric on said foldable members, and means for moving said foldable members to a completely folded position whereby said fabric may be removed from the foldable members in a folded position.

4. In a machine for folding and creasing fabric, in combination, interconnected foldable members, means for disposing a fabric on said foldable members, means for raising each foldable member to a partially folded position, the height of foldable members being higher on those members having the greatest distance to travel to reach a completely folded position, and means for moving said members to a folded position.

5. In a machine for folding and creasing curtains and the like,.in combination, interconnected foldable'members, means for securely dispo-sing a curtain or the like on said foldable members, i.;

means for initially raising said members to a partially folded position, certain of said members being movable to a higher position than others, and means for moving said foldable members to a completely folded position.

6. A machine as set forth in c1aim 5 wherein l like on said foldable memberameans for inde-` pendently raising each folding memberrto predetermined heights, and means forv moving said foldable members to a position substantially parallel with each other.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 'l wherein spacing means are provided for` the foldable members whenthey are in a substantially parallel position. g

ALFRED C. PROBST. g 

